Element Evil
by Red Rising Hood
Summary: 50 Years into Earth's future, an infection known as Element Evil has spread on Earth. The fate of mankind falls into the hands of a group of rebels, formerly known as the Elite Team. They must now uncover The General's secrets: He's trying to destroy the only cure so he can continue getting paid. Main concept came from a dream I had.
1. Prologue

Prologue

March 3rd, 2014. 50 Years ago.

Location: Jacksonville, Florida

Nox leaned against the couch in her apartment, her thumbs repeatedly hitting buttons on her Xbox remote while her eyes subconsciously took in the images of Rage on the screen. Despite the headphones blasting the sound effects into her ears, her mind picked up the slightest sound of mumbling thoughts from outside her door. Sighing, she paused the game and rose from the couch, glaring through the peek hole. Her eyes widened at what she saw on the opposite end of the door. She whirled around and pressed her back against the door and cupped a hand over her mouth, breathing heavily.

A knocking resounded from the opposite end of the door. "This is Jacksonville Police Department! Open the door and walk out with your hands over your head, or we will open fire!"

Nox held her breath and shook her head. They were lying. She could tell. She couldn't pinpoint exactly who they were, but they weren't the police. Although they were wearing the uniforms, she could read their minds decipher they were working for a much higher power.

Nox squeezed her eyes shut as the knocking grew louder.

"Nox Arcana!" One of them pressed on. "We know you're inside, and we will not harm you if you cooperate."

That was another lie. Without wasting another breath, Nox's eyes scanned the interior of her apartment, coming to a stop at the fire escape situated outside her window. She pushed herself off the door and scrambled to the window, undoing the lock.

She heard shouts from the opposite end of the door before a loud banging, followed by a few splinters flying off the door frame. They were trying to break in.

Nox struggled a bit before she undid the lock and threw the window open.

The door suddenly went flying off it's hinges, and five men clad in combat uniform made their way into the apartment with their weapons raised.

Nox reacted on instinct and slipped off the window, landing on the fire escape below with a loud _clang_. She was sure that whatever these people wanted, it was regarding the powers she'd been given since she was little. But the question was: How did they find out?

Nox gripped the railing of the fire escape and hurled through the air towards the ground, using her levitation to break her fall before she rushed to her car.

"_After her_!" Nox heard one of them shout, and it only quickened her pace. She fished her keys out of her pocket, opened her Volvo car door and stuck them into the ignition. She stomped the pedal and the Volvo sped out of the parking lot and into the streets.

Beads of sweat worked on Nox's forehead as she pressed the gas further, yanking the wheel left and right in an attempt to squeeze her way between the cars and outrun the multiple armed police vehicles. Sparks of light burst from the side windows of the cars, and Nox swore loudly as the bullets popped the back wheels of her Volvo. "_Son of a_—!" Her car began to swerve, leaving behind black tire tattoos on the street. The sparks of metal grating against the street set the night aflame.

Nox hid the Volvo inside an alleyway and watched the police cars blur past. She scrambled out of the Volvo and ran deeper into the alleyway, shielding her eyes with her arm when the spotlight of a chopper swept over her. She tripped twice in her rush, but made it to an end, blocked off by a barbed wire gate. She glanced over her shoulder to see multiple strangers clad in combat uniform rushing in, heavily armed.

Clenching her teeth, Nox clawed her way up the barbed wire fence, climbing it until she whirled over the top and landed on the opposite side, using her psychic power beneath her feet to break her fall. But she slid to a stop and unleashed a melancholic yell at what she saw on the opposite end of the alleyway. She was trapped by soldiers from both sides. They raised their firearms at her, but she extended both her hands, using the psychic energy channeling through her veins to deflect the bullets. She crouched and sprung power into her feet, making a leap for the next rooftop.

Nox fell to her knees on the peak of the building, curling her fists until her knuckles turned white as she breathed in air. But a hardy voice just ahead brought her attention. "Excellent. That's just the power we've been searching for."

Nox reeled her head up to witness a silhouette against the moonlight. She scrambled to her feet and focused on her psychic power. "Who are you?" She demanded with a cold edge in her tone.

"You won't have to worry about who I am." The silhouette emerged into the light, revealing his face, angled and battle-hardened. His blue piercing eyes caught the light of the moon beneath his beret. He looked to be in his twenties. "The only thing that should concern you now is just how we're going to train you."

Nox swallowed down her panic. _Training?_ She thought. _Who the hell is this guy?_

Deciding to lessen the awkwardness, Nox said, "I don't work for anyone. Get out of my way, or I won't hesitate to kill you."

"And a thirst to kill targets," He said nonchalantly, strolling closer. "Even better."

Nox reacted on instinct and raised her arm at him, her powers raging. "_Not one step closer_."

"I think you have the wrong idea," The man said, producing a magnum caliber from his holster. "I have the advantage here."

Knowing bullets were unable to hurt her, Nox pulled up a force shield effortlessly. "I said don't come any closer."

The man's eyes darkened as he stopped moving, but he didn't lower the weapon. Without hesitation, he clicked the safety off and pulled the trigger. Time slowed down as Nox saw the flash emit from the barrel before she saw the bullet speed at her. It hit the force shield she put up, and it shattered like glass. A choke escaped the back of her throat as the bullet lodged itself into her shoulder. She fell onto her back.

"Anti-sound wave bullets. Newly founded by Russian researchers, they can cut through even the strongest sound waves holding them back. Don't look so surprised," He said as he reloaded and towered over Nox's form, staring at him with frozen eyes. "You're becoming part of this project, whether you like it or not." He planted the bottom of his boot against her arm to keep her in place. "One more thing. You can call me Major General from now on… Not that you'll be needing it."

The flash emitting from the barrel of the gun was the last thing she saw.


	2. Introduction

Introduction – 50 years later

After the discovery of the second castle and the opening of the portal, and infection spread to the entirety of Earth, and infection known as Element Evil. Evil creatures from the newly discovered universe have invaded the planet.

Studied by researchers as a pathogen not found anywhere on earth, no cure has been recorded in the database. No cure is supposed to _exist_.

Since then, no one has walked the streets without gasmasks. People have lost their grip on hope.

That's not stopping the American government from finding a cure. Researchers, scientists, and members of the Army have been paid triple to keep further spread of Element Evil at bay.

The Elite Team, combat specialists created to deal with these kind of situations are the Army's greatest reliability. They've seen what lurks within the castle; they are the closest source of answers in the project.

Only a few select leaders for the project were chosen. One officer who's commanded to elite Team for years, The General, became the most trusted figure in the project.

This was no longer an operation to search for a resource in the castle.

This was a battle for the fate of mankind.


	3. Chapter 1

The city lay in ruins.

The sound of the chopper's rotors could barely be heard through the sound of gunfire in the urban below. The stench of blood filled the air and smoke rose like burning pyres in the sky. The blood-red sun descended below the horizon of jagged buildings in the distance, the orange sunlight slicing through the fog with a touch of gold.

"_Now entering the Dark Zone._" The electrified voice of the pilot blared through the speakers.

Etrius frowned as he glared at the rubble below. To him, everything looked like a dark zone. From the glowing eyes of Evils preying on the innocent from the shadows, to the desperate rebels who would steal from anyone for a few caskets of water. His grip on his rifle tightened instinctively.

He remembered when everything had been normal, when the glowing city lights seemed to set the atmosphere aflame with creamy blue colors. And now… it was nothing but a wasteland.

Forcing his gaze away from the window, he focused his attention back onto his team.

They'd been sent to contain what was left of the U.S. embassies from rebels wanting information on the project. Three hostages were held within. It had been nearly a year since Element Evil took hold of the planet, and since then, no one was patient enough to wait for a cure. Many believed there was one already, but the government was refusing to share it. Etrius ground his teeth in disgust at the absurd rumors. They were doing nothing but distracting them from finding the cure.

"Etrius?" Beecher's voice seized his attention.

Etrius drowned the thoughts from his head and focused on the task at hand. "Alright. We've got fifty to sixty of these bastards surrounding the embassy, and we have just as many men. Lloyd, I want you to take the north rim of the wall surrounding the building. Boomer, you'll be in charge of disabling the demolitions. Do _not_, on _any_ circumstance, let them detonate."

Boomer responded with a dangerous grin.

"Beecher, you're coming with me through the back exit. Security isn't as tough there – I can infiltrate the building. I need you to watch my six."

Beecher responded with a heavy nod.

Once the embassy came into sight, Etrius nudged the rope ladder down with his foot, and he slid down until he reached the bottom, followed by the rest of the team. Rifles in arms, they rushed to their destinations and began giving orders.

Etrius and Beecher made their way around the outer mortar wall that enclosed the embassy. The scent of smoke and demolitions ashes nipped at the hot air, and the sound of gunfire and shouting orders rang in their ears. They pulled gas masks over their faces. Any area of the Dark Zone was unsafe to walk through without one; it was the first place Element Evil began to spread.

The further they got to the rear entrance, more fog began to lift, allowing looming buildings overhead to look like skulking silhouettes, monsters waiting to kill. Etrius breathed heavily through his mask.

They reached the back exit, seeing two guards patrolling the entrance. They pressed their backs against the outer wall to remain unnoticed.

Etrius almost laughed. They were giving so much attention to the front that they were forgetting to watch the back. But despite this, Etrius was grateful that the distraction was enough for them to get in.

Beecher clicked the safety off his modified sniper and attached a silencer, aimed, and pulled the trigger… One down. Before the other guard could react, Beecher aimed and landed a bullet in his head.

They double-checked the area to make sure no one else was watching before making their way to the two guards. They produced a key from one's pocket and opened the door. They walked on a crouch into the dark hallway, lights flickering overhead and the room heated. The electrical vibe of wires that ran within the walls filled the air, nearly suffocating them, despite the gasmasks.

Nonetheless, they continued their search until they reached their destination. Four men, dressed strictly in black, patrolled a glass room. Multiple figures inside were on their knees with hands over their heads.

With a few flicks of his hand, Etrius gestured to Beecher, and he got the message. Beecher produced a pellet form the folds of his jacket and tossed them into the room. A white fog wafted out, choking the room with thickened white gas. Etrius and Beecher secured their gasmasks as Beecher aimed.

With heightened vision and accuracy, he landed three headshots before the last surviving one fled the room and up a staircase.

The elites rushed into the room, keeping their weapons raised. Etrius instructed Beecher to take the hostages back outside while he followed the last one.

Beecher hesitated before complying, and the two parted ways.

Etrius rushed up the staircase, keeping his weapon close with the safety off. Through the lingering fog, he saw the faint silhouette of the rebel retreating to another door. Etrius aimed and fired, missing the target.

The rebel vanished behind the door, locking it behind him. Etrius kicked it down and followed.

He saw the silhouette of the rebel standing in the open, facing a window that looked out over a fifty foot fall. Etrius aimed. "It's over. Get on the floor and puts your hands over your head—Do it now!"

Slowly, the man raised his hands and dropped the weapon. He collapsed to his knees and then sprawled on the tile. Etrius rushed over and secured his hands in cuffs. He searched through him, finding two extra rusted handguns and a pack of cigarettes.

The General's voice blared through his headset. "_Alpha, what's your status_?"

"_Busy_," Etrius spat back.

Once the rebel saw him confiscating the cigarettes, he beseeched, "Come on!"

"Keep your mouth _shut._"

_Why do I have to deal with this shit?_

"_I want any surviving enemies; this is a Direct Action Mission._"

"No can do." Etrius responded.

"Who the hell are you talking to?" The rebel growled.

"I said shut your fucking mouth!" Then to The General, "I'm taking the surviving member into custody. Tell your men to prepare an interrogation sequence."

"_Etrius, we cannot afford to have any Prisoners of War. Follow orders and neutralize the target—_"

Etrius hooked his headset around his neck, drowning out The General's voice.

_What's gotten into that bastard?_

"_Get up_," Etrius snarled at the surviving rebel, and he shoved him towards the staircase, keeping a rifle to his back.

~X~

He couldn't breathe.

There was a hand covering his mouth, another shaking his shoulder, startling him out of deep sleep. A thousand panicked thoughts dashed through Etrius' mind in the space of a single heartbeat. It was happening. His dream was no lie.

_An infiltration. I knew it!_

His eyes blinked, staring wildly at the dark room of his quarters until Beecher came into focus. Etrius stilled his thrashing, thoroughly confused.

Beecher stepped back and eyes his coldly.

Etrius sat up. "The _fuck_, Beecher?"

"Etrius. You wouldn't wake up."

Of course, that was his form of an apology for scaring him half to death.

Etrius gave him a scowl. "If you're here because of watch-duty, it's your shift."

"That's the problem. There's been a shortage in the wiring of our security system, and I'm assuming that's something _you_ know how to fix."

Etrius gave a groan and dragged a hand down his face. But nonetheless, he whirled over his bed and got to his feet, finding himself still in combat uniform. He'd been up for 72 hours and didn't bother changing before collapsing on his bunk.

Grabbing a flashlight from his drawer, he followed Beecher to the control room. He searched through the massive system of buttons and latches until he found the problem. The main hall's security cameras had gone out. He tapped on the screen, momentarily blinking up a black and white image of the hall before flickering out.

_Must be something wrong with the wiring._

Etrius clicked the flashlight on and got working under the system. A large nest of colored wires and cords connected to the motherboard, and it took him some time to find the right one. Etrius got to work while Beecher stood irritated in the corner, tapping his foot against the ground to drown out his impatience. Etrius found this nerve-wrecking. "_Would you stop that?_"

Etrius took hold of two wires that seemed to be cut in half, careful not to touch anything that could shock him. "Do we have a Hex Tool Crimper nearby?"

"A Hex—_what_?"

"Never mind." He would have to do this manually. Carefully bringing the wire ends closer, he connected the two conductors—

And then they sparked.

Etrius pulled away with a burnt mark on his wrist. "_Son of a bitch._"

"You know, if you can't do it, I'll just call up—"

"I said, I got it." Etrius said, cutting him off. Beecher grimaced. He'd always been independent, determined to do things on his own once he was called for it. Beecher didn't know if it was pride or instinct that drove this, but it drove him crazy sometimes.

Etrius was about to give it another attempt when something stopped him.

Muffled voices. They sounded familiar.

The General was speaking with someone in the opposite room. Thoroughly curious, Etrius leaned closer to hear what they were saying.

"I assure you, I'm doing everything in my power to keep the project in sequence." The General said, voice faint but clearly determined.

"The incident in the Dark Zone is pushing us to bring this project to an end," Said another familiar voice, but the way he spoke sounded like he was used to giving orders. "We are running out of options. It's come to my understanding that you're holding back. We need to launch Experiment X."

Etrius' brows creased together.

"Etrius, what's going on?" Beecher's voice came through, but Etrius shushed him.

"Experiment X has been in progress for over 50 years, and it's purpose if to serve as a classified weapon. What if it's potential doesn't fulfil our needs for ending Element Evil?"

"Experiment X's original purpose now remains unnecessary. There is no need for a weapon. The subject's blood contains an element not found on our periodic table yet – a new element our researchers named Sapphorium. Replicas have been created, but are ineffective. We need the original element to create an antidote. Without it, humans will becomes the next extinct species on the list."

Silence reigned for the next few seconds, and it seemed The General had not yet given in.

"May I remind you who hold the higher recognition of authority." It was then when Etrius realized he was talking with one of his commanders. He'd always been satisfied at the thought that he didn't have complete power, but he couldn't begin to understand what they were talking about. The Elite Team had never been told about Experiment X, or Sapphorium. But whatever it was, they were keeping secrets from them.

After a while, The General uttered a reluctant "Yes, sir," And the two exited the office immediately.

Etrius pulled himself from his laying position. "Did you hear that?"

"No."

Etrius gave him a frustrated glare.

"As in, I never wanted to. You're not planning on going deeper into this, are you?"

Beecher didn't need a response to know the answer. He clasped his hands behind his head and paced the length of the room. "Whatever. You go ahead and get into trouble. I'm not about to risk my rank just for some fucking conversation we weren't supposed to hear."

"The General has a reputation for keeping secrets, especially from us."

"Have you ever given any thought, that he might have a good reason for it?"

Etrius glared him into silence. He then disabled the security camera in The General's office.

"I won't stop you from doing this. Just don't drag me into it."

~X~

"I can't believe I allowed you to drag me into this." Beecher lit a cigar as Etrius locked The General's door behind them. He made his way to his desk and began searching through his drawers. "You won't find anything here, believe me."

Etrius popped open the middle drawer and produced a leather-bound journal with a lock keeping it shut. "Really?" Etrius plucked up a paperclip from the desk and picked through the lock until it clicked open. He flipped through the pages. "Well, well. Old bastard writes in cursive, too. Probably didn't want anyone snooping around his electronic files."

"Etrius, let's just get this over with. Find what you want and let's get out before the old man comes back."

Etrius scoffed as he flipped to a more recent date. "What is he, some pre-teen—?"

His eyes narrowed as he read.

"I hear footsteps – we need to leave. _Now_." Beecher said between his teeth and the cigarette, but Etrius was too focused to hear him.

_No one can know … The plan is working … Once the cure is out of the way…_

His eyes widened. "There's no way—"

"_Etrius_!" Beecher growled just as the door unlocked and swung open.

A man with a janitor's uniform entered, headphones plugged in. He froze at the sight of Etrius and Beecher, and hooked his headphones around his neck. "Am I disrupting something?"

Instead of answering, Beecher stifled a sigh of relief and dragged Etrius with him out the door.

Etrius tucked the journal beneath his shirt as the two made their way back to their dorms. Etrius produced the journal and returned to the page he was looking at. "I can't believe this."

"_What?_" Beecher barked. "What's so important in that shit that nearly got us caught?"

Etrius shoved the journal at Beecher, and his eyes gradually darkened as he read through it. "He already has a cure? Impossible; it's too obvious. Probably some drunk troops wanted to mess around with him."

"I don't think anyone would want to mess around when Earth is in a state like this," Etrius said, flipping to more recent dates. "And it's written all over, in _his_ handwriting. Don't you know what this means?"

"That we should keep our asses shut and leave these matters alone?"

"It means that bastard has the cure in his hands, and this whole project is a search to destroy it. Don't you see? This notebook is evidence. With it revealed, we can cure the infection and restore humanity."

"Who's going to believe us?" Beecher scowled.

"Uhh, the people who see this notebook?"

"Who's going to believe what's in it, the superiors? _They are _our superiors. We need an alternative."

Etrius' eyes narrowed, and then he marched back into the hall, hiding the notebook beneath his shirt. "Find Lloyd, and then meet me and Boomer out in the back. I have a plan."

"Sure you do," Beecher said under his breath. For a team leader, he was always getting himself into trouble. It never ended well when it came to higher authority.

But if what they saw in the notebook was correct, they couldn't sit around and do nothing about it either.

~X~

The General stood with his hands clasped behind his back, blankly staring at the cryo-chamber. He silently watched the motionless silhouette resting behind the crystallized glass. A light trace of smoke wafted from the cryo-chamber's corners. Without turning around to face the researchers monitoring the program, he said. "So this is her final year."

"Her powers have strengthened beyond control under the effects of cryo-sleep. If she remains asleep any longer, we may not be able to extract them."

"And what's to become of the subject once we have what we need?" The General knew training was out of the question for subjects like this, judging by the multiple failed attempts at trying to control subjects with similar powers.

"We have no use for the subject. It is your command to choose."

The General thought for a moment. Then he said, "Very well," He couldn't afford to have word of the project reach public ears. "Get rid of the subject once you're done. And don't leave any traces she was ever here."

~X~

"Did you hear that?" Etrius said in a hushed tone as he crouched down on the upper walkway beside Beecher. The two had been listening in to The General's plans and orders ever since they found out about his betrayal with Element Evil. "He's free to do whatever he wants with that power, and who's to say we can trust him with it?"

"We need to release her before that happens," Etrius said. "But first, we need to get these guys out of here." His eyes flicked towards the fire alarm clipped onto the wall next to them. "Cover your ears," He said to Beecher as he reached, opened the safety glass and pulled down the latch.

Several lights above them spiraled yellow and red, and blaring alarms blasted three rings a second.

The General glanced around in confusion. Etrius and Beecher sunk back into the shadows to wait.

"Since when do we have fire drill runs at this time?" The General said, not entirely concerned.

"We don't." One of the researchers replied. The General glanced warily at the silhouette within the cryo-chamber. He waited fifty years to finally release the power, and now he was going to be disrupted by a fire. This wasn't going according to plan.

"Sir, we need to leave." One of the researchers said by the door after noticing his hesitation. The General gave a grunt under his breath, giving the cryo-chamber one last glance before turning around and exiting.

That gave Etrius and Beecher the cue to go in. The rose from their position, whirled over the upper catwalk railing and made it to the cryo-chamber. "Any idea how to activate this thing?" Beecher asked, and Etrius gave a nod. He rushed to the computers situated by the chamber and tapped through a few buttons and passcodes. He switched the emergency unlock latch and watched as the ice in the cryo-chamber reddened before it melted into water. The cryo-chamber lid opened with a WOOSH and the light hit the silhouette at the right angle.

Nox lay motionless with her eyes closed, a thin layer of frost residue remaining on her skin. Etrius and Beecher exchanged glances, wondering if they should try and wake her or wait until she woke up herself. But the fire alarms weren't going to remain dismissive forever.

Suddenly, Nox's eyes popped open with a gasp. Her vision doubled and see-sawed in and out of focus as she emerged from the realm of dreams. She witnessed two silhouettes against the red lights looming above her, one with green eyes and one with red. Her eyes widened and she raised both her arms to shield herself, her psychic power forming a shield around her. "Get away from me!"

The two backed away with their arms raised halfway, mostly surprised by the amount of power she was putting up in her defense. "Hey, calm down. We're getting you out of here." Nox tried to leap out of the cryo-chamber, but her limbs wouldn't move on command. She realized she was still strapped inside. "Who are you?" She demanded.

"I think that question points at YOU."

"I'm not sure what's going on here."

"Neither do we," Beecher managed to get close enough to undo the straps and set her free. "But right now, we need to get you out of here. There's someone here who calls himself The General, and he wants your power for his own gain."

"How did you—?"

"We eavesdrop. Not only does The General want your power, but he's going to take away mankind's only hope of survival."

"…What are you talking about?"

Beecher frowned and turned to Etrius. "Check to see how long she was out." Etrius gave a nod and checked the computer. Beecher locked his eyes with Nox's. "What's your name?"

She hesitated for a second. "Nox."

Etrius's blood froze at what he saw on the computer monitor screen. "Nox, you've been asleep for fifty years."

"WHAT?!"

"Fifty years," He repeated, turning back to her. "You're in the year 2064."

"But—but— …That's not possible. I swear—I was only in here for two seconds. It was 2014—"

Footsteps resounded from outside the door, and the rattling of the lock came next. "Well, think of the cryo-effects of body clocks. We need to go. Now."

Nox took a step forward, but black and purple dots danced across her vision. She was woken up too soon. Etrius and Beecher hooked her arms around their shoulders and aided her to the back exit.

They rushed out of the basement, where they remained hidden in the shadows of the perimeter of the facility as they made their way to the exit. They hid behind a corner, glancing around and wondering how they were going to make it past the guards unseen.

Suddenly, an electrical vibe began to run beneath Nox's skin, and she fell to her knees, hugging her stomach in uneasiness. A burst of power ruptured from her eyes and mouth. The sudden explosion of energy was enough to bring the guards to attention. Beecher swore.

The light faded, and Nox squeezed her eyes shut to battle the throbbing in her head. She realized her powers were ten times stronger than when she was last put into cryo-sleep. She couldn't even control it.

The distant shouting of guards were heard before white gas wafted through the facility's area. Knockout gas. Beecher turned to Etrius. "You and Nox take the south exit. I'll hold them back from here and meet up."

Etrius gave a nod before he hooked Nox's arms around his shoulders and led them out of there. They made their way through a majority of mazes before coming to a stop in an unfamiliar room lined with toxin gas tanks and weapons that lined the tables. They two of them turned around to see someone slide to a stop in the doorway, clutching his magnum caliber. The General aimed the weapon at them. "Don't. Move."

He locked his dark glare with Etrius's. "So you figured me out. You were so much more useful shut out in the dark. Give back the subject, and I won't put you down for good this time."

Etrius's eyes narrowed. "Over my dead body."

The General felt a shiver of familiarity run down his spine, but he showed no reaction. Without warning, Etrius reached into his back pocket and produced a pellet. He let it fall, and pillars of smoke emerged from the small device. Instead, The General covered his mouth and nose and rushed into the smoke, keeping the magnum caliber close.

He faintly saw two silhouettes through the haze of fog, aimed and fired. Etrius took Nox to the floor to avoid the gunfire, and he charged forward. The notebook was thrown from his jacket pocket by the force of the impact, and it skidded into the fog. Etrius cursed under his breath as he scrambled to his feet, going after it before that bastard did.

The General glanced down to see a familiar object skid to a stop at his feet. He leaned over and picked up the notebook, a grimace performing on his face, as if he'd been expecting this to happen. Keeping his weapon close, he continued into the fog.

Nox saw the familiar silhouette emerge into the smoke, and she focused on her psychic power, pouncing on the visual and pinning him to the floor. "YOU SON OF A BITCH!" She screamed. "IT'S BECAUSE OF YOU THAT I'M LIKE THIS!" Her eyes literally burned with power and anger. The General uttered a grunt before pulling the trigger of his magnum caliber and firing. Nox rolled to the side to miss, but it cost her target to run away. Nox clenched her teeth and blindly grabbed a sapphire sword from one of the tables, running after him.

The General whirled around and fired random shots around her in hopes of scaring her down, but to no avail. Instead, the bullets buried themselves inside the toxin gas tanks. A sizzling gas leaked out. Nox curled her teeth in a smile and aimed the palm of her hand at the gas, bending it to her control.

"Stop! That's Element Evil you're wielding!"

"Exactly." Nox said darkly as she thrust her hand in The General's direction, but he fell to the ground to miss it. The gas hit another tank, and it burst on impact, showering into bits of metal, shrapnel, and toxic elements. The General reacted on instinct and scrambled to his feet before rushing to the exit.

Etrius was unable to get to Nox's side through the gas. He held his arm to his face in an effort to shield himself. "Nox, get out of there!" But it was too late. The gas had spread to the entire area of the room, effecting other tanks and creating a chain reaction of demolitions. Nox backed away from the cataclysm with her grip on the sapphire sword tightening.

A thousand choices ran through Etrius' mind in the space of a single second. Hamzat suits and gasmasks lines the walls by the door. He reached for a gasmask and slung it over his head. He ran into the mist.

The ground seemed to quake beneath Nox's feet as the tanks detonated on contact with Element Evil in the air. Soon, the world around her began to sway, fall into nothing.

Etrius grabbed her and swung her arm over his shoulder. "You're making it out alive, even if it kills me."

It was the last thing she heard before she was lead out of the building, her grip on the sword never loosening.


	4. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The blood-moon crested in the sky, backlighting the dead tree branches above and casting shadows on the earth. The light of the make-shift bonfire seemed to set the night aflame with orange, gold and red colors. Etrius peeled off his military insignia from his uniform, and tossed it into the fire.

Around him, the Elite Team's faces were expressions of bitterness. With the notebook lost, and any evidence of The General's betrayal gone, they needed to come up with an alternative. And that meant no longer putting themselves under his command. Besides, he could get rid of them in a heartbeat if they remained there.

After searching through the endless forest surrounding the base, they found an abandoned building that looked to be there since the 23rd Century. The technology was less than modern, but it would have to do if they were going to complete this mission. With no source of transportation, and a limited supply of weapons, everything would have to be done manually.

_So this is how it's going to end._ Etrius tossed his darkened thoughts into the fire. _Now I see where the threat lies. I've known that bastard to lie, and keep secrets, _Etrius saw The General's features flash across his vision. _But _this_? This draws the line._

~X~

A tingling, numbing sensation pricked at Nox's mind as she surfaced from her state of comatose. The room took shape around her, and she instantly began digging through the pages of her memory.

Recollections clicked into place in her mind, like pieces of a puzzle. She remembered being stuck in the cryo-chamber, and the very man who knocked her out, speaking in a low tone before she lapsed into a state of comatose.

She remembered being awakened by two guys named Etrius and Beecher, claiming that she'd been asleep for half a century. She remembered finding The General again, wanting vengeance on what he had done, before she was knocked out again by a lab accident.

_Where… Am I?_

Footsteps resounded from the door.

Nox stiffened. Instinctively, she searched around the room for anything within reach she could use as a weapon.

A shadow swept beneath the door.

Nox sat upright in the bed, summoning her powers and preparing for what lay beyond the door.

The door creaked open, allowing a bright influx of light in through the gap. Nox tensed—

And the same man who had saved her from Cryo-Sleep emerged into the room. He raised his hands shoulder-level, and began speaking, as if to reassure her. "Stay calm—you're safe here."

Nox still didn't let her guard down. "Mind telling me where is _here_?"

Etrius' mouth formed into a thin line. "Far away from that bastard that kept you imprisoned in ice. This is our base, a building that's been abandoned and forgotten for years. He won't find us here."

Nox chewed on her bottom lip to keep herself calm. The door behind Etrius opened again, and an unfamiliar rebel with golden brown eyes, long hair tied back into a ponytail, and black upgraded armor sided along Etrius. "You're awake," He said bitterly. "I can't believe Etrius brought you here. No one is supposed to know about this place."

"What did you expect," Etrius shot back. "The General had ultimate power in his hands, and he could've used it to—"

"Is this why I'm here?" Nox said coldly. "Because of my power. Just what I needed: More corrupt people wanting it for themselves."

"You're here _because_ of corruptness. If we hadn't found you, you'd be dead by now." Etrius said, his eyes darkening, but his anger wasn't directed at Nox or Lloyd.

"We don't know if he has any other powerful means of violence," Lloyd said. "For all we know, Nox's situation could only be the beginning." He reached behind him and produced a file Beecher had given him. He handed them to Nox. "Beecher found these next to your Cryo-Chamber, and they looked important."

Nox flipped through the file pages, finding charts that held her power's strengths and disadvantages. Her eyes widened at the numbers. "My God. They kept me locked there for my powers to grow, so they could use it once they have enough."

"Good thing we stopped _that_ from happening."

"It has information on…" _My parents… _She silently read the rest of the descriptions. She knew her parents had died when she was a young age, and she was sent to foster home after that. Any leads to her past seemed to have been… erased. Like they vanished off the face of the Earth.

_It says here they were found by the Government, and executed for treason. They changed my name and sent me away to keep me safe. Looks like they found me._ A grimace formed on her face, and her iris color materialized from a frozen sapphire to unfathomable black.

"_Whoa_." Etrius back away. "I did _not_ just see that."

It took Nox a moment to realize what he meant. "My eyes? That always happens. They change color when I switch emotions, the same effect as a mood ring. I'm guessing it's another way how they found me."

Etrius paused for a moment, and then he reached into the trunk situated in front of the bed. He produced the sapphire sword Nox had used. "I'm guessing you could still use this? You were… you looked to be in a coma every time we took it out of your grip. It seems important."

Nox accepted it from his hands, and the moment she made contact with the hilt, and electrical vibe travelled through her system. The sword seemed to hum, and vibrate with power under her touch. Almost instantly, a wave of adrenaline rolled through her, charging like a battery. Her eye color faded to a light gray, and then sapphire.

"Maybe we're better off keeping this thing within sight," Nox said, struggling to control her voice with her body longing to get up and run. She set the blade down, and instantly, her shoulders relaxed. "So what happens now?"

"Tomorrow, we have to go back to our former base and find The General's notebook. It contains evidence that could give him away. And, if we can, find the cure."

"Then, what are we waiting for?" Nox snatched up her sword once again, feeling rage rolling through her like a storm. She couldn't wait to find The General and make him feel the pain he caused her. "Let's go now, while they're not expecting us!"

"In this state?" Etrius scoffed. "You were just unfrozen. You need to rest."

"I've been resting for half a century!"

"We don't know what lays beyond the walls of the enemy base. Until we have the green light to move in, I suggest we wait."

Nox opened her mouth to protest, but closed it. Despite herself, she knew Etrius was right. Extracting Nox's powers could only mean the beginning – who knew what else he had hidden behind his back.

Drowning out her desire to vengeance, she sank back down into her pillow. "Fine. But just so you know, _I'm_ the one who's going to make him pay."

Etrius watched her with understanding eyes. "I promise you that." And he turned and left.

Etrius breezed down the stairwell. But before he made it to the main hall, something sticky caught in his chest. He lurched forward, covering his mouth and coughed. When he pulled his hand away, blood speckled his palm. Blood that glowed an unearthly white.

"Etrius?" He heard Beecher's voice from the main hall.

Images of Element Evil ran through Etrius' mind. He remembered breathing in the gas before he had pulled on his gas-mask, and a shudder ran through him.

Etrius grimaced, closed his hand and turned away. "I'm fine."

~X~

An ever-present fog hung in the cold morning air, and the blood-red sun set the forest aflame in scarlet, tangerine, and gold. Beecher was situated on a tree branch that was thick enough to support his weight.

Behind him, Boomer flicked open a pocket knife, shut it, and open again with a flick of his wrist. He cast a bored glance at Beecher, but he didn't seem to notice.

Rustling sounded from the bushes overhead, and Boomer tensed. Still, Beecher wasn't listening. A deer emerged from the shadows, and Boomer hurriedly readied his shotgun. Aimed, fired.

He swore under his breath as the deer bounded away. Boomer looked at his shotgun in vain. "We need better weapons." He cast another glance at Beecher, but he didn't seem to be paying attention. "_Hey_!" Boomer shouted. "Could use some help over here! Breakfast isn't going to kill itself."

Beecher still had his back to him, but this time, he heard him as the safety on his weapon clicked to off. "Sorry."

Boomer raised a brow, leaped up, and caught onto one of the thicker branches. He hoisted himself up and faced Beecher. "What's wrong with you?"

Beecher uttered a sigh. "Have you seen the way Etrius has been acting lately?"

"What's new? He's always acting like he's in charge of everyone."

Beecher remained silent for a moment. "He's been acting differently. Something happened in that lab, and he's not telling me."

Boomer frowned. "What do you think is wrong with him?"

"I don't know. It has something to do with Nox," He paused for a second, and then clicked the safety off on his sniper. "Let's go back to base and get new weapons. With that gunshot, no animal is going to come near this area." He slipped off the tree and landed on the ground.

Boomer ground his teeth. "Sorry for doing your job."

They walked through the forest for some time, the familiar sound of bird now ceased to exist. The entire forest was silent – too silent. Something had to be wrong.

But there was nothing but the shrilling wind and the scarlet glare of the sun to keep them company.

However, Beecher came to a sudden stop, making Boomer bump into him. "What's—?"

"The base," Beecher said, something unfathomable moving in his eyes. "It's gone."

Boomer's brows creased together. "Am I missing something here?"

Beecher checked the compass modified to fit in his watch. "We're in the right place. Must've taken a wrong turn."

Boomer narrowed his eyes as a smile twitched at his mouth. "I know what's going on here," He marched into the open space and extended a hand. It passed through an invisible wall, showing only his wrist up. He quickly retracted his hand.

"The fuck?" Beecher stepped forward, extending his rifle. It got caught in the invisible field, and he moved it to the side, as if drawing curtains. Through the gap, the base's exterior was seen.

A dangerous smile rose on Boomer's face. "Nox hid the base from sight."

The two of them brushed past the invisible wall. When they looked back at the forest, it was as if nothing had gotten in their way. They made their way into the base, and into the control room, where Nox had her back to them, analyzing statistics on the main computer screen. Boomer caught her by surprise with a nudge on her shoulder.

Nox whirled around as Etrius entered the room. "Okay, I want to know what's going on outside the base. Why is there an invisible wall? And why haven't you two come back with food?"

Beecher scowled at Etrius' outwards irate personality.

"I'm the one who's hiding the base," Nox stated, and then she read through Beecher's brainwaves. "Beecher and Boomer need better weapons to hunt."

Beecher's eyes widened when she said this, and Nox quickly explained. "My powers grant me the ability to read minds. Not only that, but I can also levitate, and trick people into seeing things that aren't real. I only used them to a certain extent… _Fifty years ago_," She said the words with bitterness rising in her tone. "But now that they're grown so much without me knowing, I'm trying to be careful."

They watched as Nox double checked the base's perimeter through the security system before she turned away from the computer. "These cameras are black and white, and they don't even come with a 3D system. You guys need a ton of upgrades."

"Well it's the best we have," Lloyd's voice came from the doorway as he made his way into the room. "Nox, since you can't let that sword out of your sight," He gestured to her sapphire blade sheathed across her back, "I'll train you in swordsmanship, and martial arts combat. If you're serious about this, then you need to be familiar with modern weapons, which may have not existed in your time."

Nox held a hand to her head. "I feel old. What, did they come out a Samsung Galaxy S25?"

"You'd be surprised."

"IPhone would be jealous by now."

"Yeah, well, they're dead too."

Nox frowned. "What about Xbox? Microsoft?"

"That old shit?" Boomer laughed.

"We're getting carried away here. Lloyd, start training Nox. In the meantime, Boomer, Beecher, and I will plan an infiltration on the base and find more advanced weapons. You all know what to do."

The team saluted before heading off into different directions.


	5. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"Think you can speed it up?" Nox said in a low, yet hurried tone. She turned to face the form of Etrius, leaning over a large computer and typing away at the keyboard.

"Hacking security takes time," Etrius said, but he didn't remove his eyes from the screen. "One wrong move, and it's over."

With Boomer and Beecher downstairs, priming explosives in the basement, and Etrius with Nox in the control room, they were making themselves vulnerable. It was their first live mission against The General, and they could've chosen a better approach than walking into enemy lines… But they needed better weapons, and that meant moving into the base.

The objective was to take as many weapons as they could, find The General's journal, and hopefully the cure. If they couldn't get the cure, they could still blow the base along with any weapons or experiments The General could be hiding. If The General was having a hard time trying to destroy the cure, then surely it could survive one explosion.

"Alright. Just to remind you that we're in the middle of an enemy base and seconds away from being discovered by a guard."

"The doors are locked."

"That's what can set them off. Don't you think they'll find it strange when they realize the doors to the security center are locked, and the security cameras are down?"

"Which is why we need to make this quick," As he said it, the computer's screen that was spammed with error windows suddenly vanished, and a confirmation box appeared. "Good. They don't know we're here." He set his gaze on Nox. "Radio Boomer and Beecher. Tell them to move in."

Nox gave a heavy nod and turned away, pressing the contact button on her headset. "Alpha to Delta. Do you copy?"

There was a moment of static, and then Beecher's voice came through. "_I copy, Nox. The explosives are being primed, and we'll be on stand-by for orders._"

"Meet us in the center of the facility when you're done. If you see anything weird, retreat. We can't afford to get caught at a time like this."

"_Affirmative._" And they made their way up the staircase.

On a crouch, Etrius and Nox emerged from the control room and silently snuck past the hallways, keeping a careful eye out for guards.

~X~

"I need your opinion, Beecher," Boomer kept his eyes on the explosives he was readying. "Which is better: More force to blow the place into shards, or set it to moderate and watch boulders fly?"

Lloyd's eyes narrowed.

"This isn't a time to get creative, Boomer," Beecher primed the explosives before he could protest. "We want to make sure this place gets taken down after we find the cure and the notebook. If The General has just as many powerful weapons like Nox said, then we can't afford to have anything survive."

Boomer grimaced, but didn't argue. He knew that if they messed this up, there was no going back; they were on a limited supply of weapons.

Beecher stood to his feet, keeping his sniper close and putting a cigarette in his mouth. "Let's move, before someone finds out we're down here."

The three made their way up the staircase, but stopped short and hid behind a corner at the sight of a security camera. Beecher's eyes narrowed. "Think Etrius succeeded in taking down surveillance?"

"Only one way to find out." Boomer marched out into the open and gave the camera a stiff middle-finger. When it didn't blink a light or turn to face him, a smirk crossed his face.

Beecher dragged a hand down his face.

He followed Boomer through the dark corridors, surprised to find it void of guards. "For a base that holds a cure for Mankind, you'd think they would heighten their security."

Boomer stopped short and set his gaze to the right. Beecher bumped into him, and then followed his gaze.

Their eyes widened at the sight of the armory that lay beyond the open door. Futuristic weapons lined the walls by magnets, seemingly untouched. Any security cameras were taken down.

Boomer scanned every corner of the room to make sure it wasn't a trap before he made his way inside. He nearly dropped his shotgun at the sight of advanced explosives that were stacked one on top of the other.

Beecher scanned the walls until his eyes rested on modifiers for his sniper. He took down the ones that looked the most useful and expensive. He then searched for weapons that Etrius and Nox could use.

Lloyd's attention was seized at the sight of futuristic armor that stood forgotten in a glass chamber. He opened the lid and pried the armor off the pole it stood on. He scanned the black fabric made up of countless hexagon patterns, and the silver geometric armor plating layered on top of it. A matrix of glowing blue wires ran the length of the suit.

On the wall overhead, multiple swords lined the walls. He grabbed the nearest one by the handle and plucked it off. The silver metallic hilt shone against the bright florescent lights, and blue glowing wires were seen running beneath it. The blade itself was obsidian, with a thin line of silver along the edge.

He sheathed the sword across his back, next to the old one, forming an X.

"Lloyd," Beecher's voice said from the doorway. He was fully equipped with weapon, and daggers were sheathed in straps along his armor. "Let's move."

~X~

Shadows hung in the air in this part of the facility. Surprisingly, the hallways were still devoid of security guards. Nox mentally reached out into the hallways around them, but her mindspeak didn't pick up any murmuring thoughts. She frowned. "Something's wrong here," She said to Etrius. "Do you think it's a trap?"

"I always think everything is a trap," He said, still looking ahead. "That's why I'm still alive."

Nox bit her bottom lip. Despite the fact that she wanted that bastard to pay for what he had done, she knew the odds. The General was more powerful. He had an entire army behind him, while the Elite Team only had a base, limited weapons, and a psychic girl awoken from cryo-sleep.

She shook her head. They still had explosives primed in the basement. If The General wasn't feeling very generous, they could threaten the base. But the enemy base seemed almost devoid of life. This was clearly a trap, but they had no other alternative—

Etrius froze.

His ears picked up the faintest sound of feet shuffling. He glanced at the shadows around them with his teeth ground together, and they rested on the sight of a red light from the upper walkway.

Etrius reacted on instinct, grabbing Nox roughly by the shoulder and brought them to the floor. Nox glared up at the shooter. She extended a hand, undoing the chains that held the catwalks up.

The platform slammed against the wall, and the shooter collapsed to the floor before them.

Nox held him in place with her psychic power.

But on a closer look, she noticed the familiar red eyes and close-cropped black hair.

Beecher groaned and pressed a hand to his head. "What the fuck was that?"

"Beecher?" Nox gave Etrius a sideways glance.

Lloyd and Boomer rushed in from the opposite corridor.

"Why were you aiming at us?" Etrius demanded, and Beecher gave him a frown.

"Aiming? The safety on my sniper is on."

"What happened?" Boomer hurried over.

"You're going to attract attention to us," Lloyd snarled, adjusting his black gloves with silver plating.

"I knew it," Beecher climbed to his feet and fixed Etrius with a dark look. "You're hallucinating. Something _is_ wrong with you!"

"_Shut up,_" Lloyd hissed. "The last thing we want is to get caught by your arguing. This isn't the time to—"

"Ever since we ran away, you've been acting strange," Beecher's voice darkened a notch, and a dreary black cloud loomed over them. "What are you hiding?"

"There is _nothing_ wrong with me," Etrius fired back, the force of his words making Beecher flinch. "Now come on. Let's move and find that fucking antidote already." He turned around and resumed walking before Beecher could grab the chance to protest. His ears picked up Lloyd's voice. "Let it go," He gestured to Etrius' retreating back. "He'll come to his senses eventually. He always does."

After a moment of silence, the team resumed walking, the tension still lingering in the air like a string ready to snap. Lloyd kept watch over Beecher and Etrius, making sure they didn't immerse into another argument. If they were going to be a threat to the mission, Lloyd figured that it was best one stayed at the base and the other completed the objective.

Nox stood between Etrius and Beecher, creating a divide between them, so every time Etrius looked back, Nox hid Beecher from sight. Despite herself, she couldn't help but question what was wrong with Etrius. Ever since training at the base, he'd seemed distracted, and even sick sometimes. She knew that it wasn't the pressure of the mission that was making him hallucinate.

Digging through the pages of her memory, she recalled the moment when he charged into the gas of Element Evil and brought her back out. They figured out that Nox's powers became tied to her sword, so she wasn't affected by it. Etrius, on the other hand…

_I just hope we find this cure before it gets out of hand._

The team hid behind a corner, leading to another hallways. Etrius gestured the team to stay back while he went ahead and made sure the path was clear. Once he did, he led the team into an isolated room labeled "_Element Evil 115_". Nox's eyes crystallized to an icy blue, as a shimmer of familiarity travelled through her.

Etrius checked the knob. Finding it locked, he produced a paperclip he always kept in his back pocket and began picking through the lock. He had it open in a matter of second, and the team moved in.

There. At the far corner of the room. A glowing blue light the size of Nox's fist hovered above a glass plate, surrounded by lab equipment. A faint blue halo surrounded the source of light.

The team slowly approached the Cure, their eyes catching the light as it glazed over their faces. It was like watching a phenomenon from outer space.

Something vibrated within Nox's sword, and the sapphire seemed to glow from within, but when she focused on it, it vanished. Deciding it was just a trick of the light, she closed the distance between herself and the cure.

"Not so fast," A familiar rough voice drifted from the shadows. "I knew I would find you here."

Someone emerged from the darkness of a corner, aiming a magnum caliber at the team. He had a gaunt face, cobalt blue eyes and a black beret that signified his rank. The General glared at the team with expectation, and Nox in particular. "Experiement X," He acknowledged.

Nox backed away and extended an arm, keeping a translucent shield around the team. The General's aim never wavered. "Don't bother. Anti-sound-wave bullets," He gestured with a flick of his weapon. "I knew you'd be coming."

Nox gave him the blackest look she could summon.

The General marched towards the cure and produced a black vial from his uniform pocket. He uncorked it with one hand and trapped the cure within, never releasing his aim.

"You fucking bastard," Etrius growled, anger trembling beneath his skin. "You'd sell us all out? You'd let Earth fall? And for what? A worthless paycheck?"

"I don't expect you to understand, Etrius," The General said as something dark and sinister stirred in his eyes. "But you're too late. My job here is done."

As if on cue, the brilliant cyan light that radiated from the cure died down. It shriveled until it was nothing but a burn ash. The General curled his fingers around the bottle, causing it to shatter.

Etrius' blood turned to ice, his mind cast into an endless sea of frost. Nox's powers actually flickered in her shock, a thousand words burning from her soul, but her mind couldn't process them.

What looked like a smirk tugged at his face. The General locked his glare with Nox's. "You should've known better than to join these people, Nox," The way he spoke sounded as if he were judging her between right and wrong. "We could've trained you, harnessed your powers for you to be the best of the best elite—"

"_Do you take me as a fool_?" She spat at him. "I know you're intentions. And soon, so will the entire world."

"That's where you're mistaken," As if on cue, heavily equipped guards clad in armor burst through each doorway in the room. They had scarlet visors that covered their eyes and matching red-colored rifles trained on the team. "Secure the culprits," The General ordered before turning and shuffling away, keeping his hands behind his back. "Have them prepped for execution."

"You bastard, get back here and face me!" Etrius shook himself from his stupor as the anger began to settle in. "I'm not done with you!"

"_On the floor_!" The guards ordered, keeping their rifles trained on them. "_Do it now! I won't warn you again_!"

Etrius was about to advance forward, but Lloyd stopped him by grabbing him roughly by the shoulder.

"_You,_" One of the men snarled at Nox. "_Get that shit out of the way._" It took her a moment to realize he meant the shield.

Slowly complying, Nox let it drape to the floor, and the team put their hands over their head. Slowly, they got to their knees, and then lay on their stomach. The men surrounding them didn't let their guards down.

"Secure the female first. Don't know what she could do." Nox found something strange about these men. Not the fact that they were working for The General, but she couldn't hear their thoughts. Her eyes widened. Of course—the helmets and visors they wore were packed with technology. If she learned one thing, it was that her powers were natural. She couldn't work well around so many wires. The General must've figured out her weakness.

"You got a plan?" Nox asked Etrius.

"Make that bastard pay."

"I meant a plan that won't get us killed."

"_You two, stop talking_." The same troop who was giving orders barked at them.

Nox kept her mouth shut, and when the guard turned away, she eyed Lloyd. "I have one. On my signal, you four run out and start the countdown. I'll follow—"

"_I said to shut up_!" The guard pressed. He leaned over and secured Nox's wrists into handcuffs, throwing her to her feet. The other troops closed in around her, keeping their weapons raised. "Now don't try anything."

Nox's eyes lit up like an ember. As a result, the guards were knocked off their feet by an invisible force, thrown into the opposite walls.

Nox easily broke out of the chains. "Go!" She ordered to the team, but Etrius was the most hesitant to leave. Nox threw him a fiery glare. "Get out! I'll catch up in a minute."

_I still need that bastard to pay for what he's done. _But she didn't mention it aloud. Without another word, she charged out of the room to where she last saw The General vanish. "_Get back here and face me, coward_!"

She heard The General's thoughts murmuring overhead.

~X~

Fifty feet below the base, the elevator door slid open. The General marched out, carrying the orb with the cure inside. He made his way around crates and large boxes until he came to a stop by a team of men, surrounding something.

"Sir," One of them announced, "We found this hidden in our storage area and disabled it ASAP." He gestured to Boomer's stack of explosives he planted earlier.

"Keep it armed," The General said, waving them away. "We can't afford to have this base standing anymore, not with the rebels inside."

The man blinked. "Sir?"

"Follow my orders," He said, and that was final. "Set it to detonate in five minutes to give us enough time to leave."

The man hesitated before turning to his comrades and giving the order. Something tugged at the corner of The General's mouth as they turned and left.

The man kept his finger pressed to his earpiece, speaking with someone on the other line. After a while, he turned to The General. "There'll be a chopper waiting for you on the roof in five minutes."

"Excellent."

~X~

Nox charged through the hallways, following the trail of The General's thoughts. They lingered in the air like fog, wafting through the hallways like a path.

She growled as she came up at a locked door, and she threw it off it's hinges with a surge of energy. Tables lines with scientific lab equipment were situated along the walls, and tanks with wires connecting to the walls touched the ceiling.

A familiar silhouette ran across the hallway opening.

Nox sprung power into her legs and charged at The General, knocking him off his feet. Too late; he was surrounded by five guards clad in black armor. They trained their rifles on her, but Nox severed the string of consciousness in their minds, and they collapsed to the floor, dead.

She pinned The General to the floor by his shoulders and attempted to do the same, but something was stopping her. Like a mental block that would never budge, it shoved her consciousness back whenever she tried to invade his mind.

Angered, she unsheathed her sapphire sword and held it to his throat.

"Doesn't matter anymore," The General declared. "In five minutes, those explosives you planted are going to blow this place sky-high, and you with it."

Footsteps resounded from the opposite end of the hallway. Nox whirled around to see a man with green eyes slide to a stop and take in the scene. Nox's eyes narrowed. "I told you to leave! What are you—?"

Without warning, The General reached into his jacket uniform and produced his magnum caliber. He aimed while he was down, and fired at a white metal tank on the opposite end of the room. White gas seeped out, lingering above the floor like fog.

The General used the distraction to fire a round into Nox's shoulder. She opened her mouth, but no sounds came out as she collapsed to her side, and The General scrambled away.

Etrius darted into the room, aiming his handgun and firing round after round at The General, but he leaped behind a stack of crates before they hit him, reloading himself. Etrius' handgun clicked—out of ammo.

Nox ignored the stinging in her arm and extended a hand. A sapphire light burned in a matrix of patterns on her arm, and fired itself at the crates, shattering them. The fog of Element Evil began filling the room.

Nox took the few precious moments of distraction to heal herself. She counted the ticking seconds of Boomer's explosives in her head. _Four minutes._

She simultaneously summoned a shield that could protect the both of them against the firing bullets. They hit the shield, shattering it on impact. Anti-Sound waves bullets. The General was so much more powerful than them—he knew all their weaknesses.

Nox brought herself to her knees, her vision doubled. She fired another round of sapphire energy, only to hit the tanks of Element Evil behind The General. They exploded into shards of metal and shrapnel, spraying the room with Element Evil that infected the air. Nox was thrown back by the force.

The General took the advantage and fled the room.

Prior to Nox's powers, she was immune to Element Evil. Etrius, on the other hand…

She forced herself to her feet and stumbled to the other end of the room, struggling to see through the thick fog. Etrius had already been exposed to the Element once – having to breathe it in a second time could be fatal… or worse.

She ground her teeth together, asking herself why he followed her. She gave him specific directions to leave, that she could take The General on her own. _Looks like his narrow-mindedness got the best of him._

Her feet nudged against something on the floor, and she nearly tripped. She brought herself to her knees and grabbed Etrius by the shoulder, prying him onto his back. "_Etrius!_"

He didn't respond.

Growling, she grabbed his arm and slung it across her shoulders, hauling him to his feet. She dragged him to the exit.

_Three minutes._

She reached out with her mindspeak, contacting the rest of the Elite Rebels, who were waiting outside for them.

_Guys! Change of plans. The General set the countdorwn to Boomer's explosives, and he's going to blow this place with us in it._

_…__Nox?_

_Yeah._

_Are you inside my head? _She recognized the voice as Beecher's.

_No time to explain! Tell Boomer to get back in the basement and disable the explosives._

_Alright. You and Etrius get out of there._

_Can't. He's injured. Bastard nearly got himself killed._

_Boomer's on his way. I'm going in._

_What? No! _But the connection was severed before she could make another protest. Her eyes darkened to a blood-red. The last thing she needed was a dead team-member.

Element Evil began seeping through the open door, and Nox kicked it shut with the sole of her foot. She set her attention back to Etrius, and saw black veins crawling beneath his skin.

_Two minutes. Hope Boomer disables those explosives in time._

And if Beecher didn't get here soon, no one was getting out alive.


	6. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Nox glanced up at the sound of footsteps to see Beecher charging into the room. "What happened?" He asked as soon as he was within earshot.

"Element Evil," She explained, out of breath. "Let's get him out of here."

They hooked his arms around their shoulders, and Etrius' head hung down, revealing black veins that crawled through his neck.

They darted through the dark corridors, stray alarms still ringing. Light traces of Element Evil lingered in the corners of the hallway like ever-present fog.

Etrius muttered something, but Beecher and Nox were too focused to hear it.

"Boomer's disabling the explosives, but knowing him, he's always ready for a detonation." Beecher explained, and Nox made a mental note of this.

Beecher kicked past doorways after doorways, careful to stray away from the fog. They reached the back exit, finding it locked. Nox forced it open with her psychic power, and it flew into the bushes.

Lloyd greeted them in the back exit as they dragged Etrius out, and he immediately began firing questions at them. "What the hell happened in there? Where's Boomer?"

"Boomer's still in the basement, disabling the explosives. Etrius… I knew something was wrong with him. And he's made it worse."

"We need to leave," Nox said, strands of her hair falling into her face. "Boomer can take care of himself—we need to get out of enemy lines and get this guy medical attention."

Beecher opened his mouth to protest, but quickly shut it. Despite himself, he knew Nox was right. It was past five minutes, and the explosives hadn't detonated, meaning he succeeded in the mission. He was able to find his own way out.

Lloyd thought for a moment, and then said. "Hide in the forest and wait for me. I'll be back."

"Lloyd!" Beecher shouted between his teeth, but he had already run off. "What is it with this team and running off without another word?"

They hid Etrius within the thicket, and Nox gave another attempt at reviving him. She placed a hand on his head, shut her eyes and focused.

Then it happened again. The same block she experienced while trying to invade The General's mind. She assumed it must've been the Element Evil blocking her out, and she cursed The General's name.

Screeching tires resounded overhead, and Nox whirled her head up to see the glare of headlight peering through the dead leaves. A camouflaged Humvee screeched to a stop before them. Lloyd popped open the door. "Get in."

Beecher and Nox reacted quickly, grabbing an unconscious Etrius by the arms and hauling him in. They laid him in the back seat. He groaned and nudged his head, but otherwise remained unconscious.

Beecher took the backseat while Nox rode shotgun. A sudden wave of bullets shattered the back window, and they ducked to miss them. Nox glanced behind them to see a group of surviving troops charging towards them, carrying rifles. "DRIVE, GODDAMNIT!"

Lloyd stomped the gas, propelling the Humvee forward and leaving a trail of black dirt behind. Trees and bushes whizzed past the windows in a blur as Lloyd charged through the brushwood, creating their own path of escape. "Hope Boomer makes it out alright." Nox claimed.

"I wouldn't worry about him," Lloyd gave her a sideways glance while keeping his eyes on the 'road'. "Not with his supernatural strength."

Beecher checked Etrius pulse, and his eyes narrowed. "He has no pulse, yet he's still breathing."

"Death would've served a better fate," Nox said with darkened eyes. "If he's turning into one of _them_, he won't be happy when he wakes up."

~X~

By the time they brought Etrius back to the base, his entire body was covered in a cold light that seemed to radiate off his skin. His eyes were rolled up, muscles trembling under his skin. Morphine didn't seem to work, and Nox did the best to her ability with her healing powers. The best thing they could do was to wait.

Footsteps resounded from outside the doorway, followed by indistinct shouting. Beecher stiffened as the door swung open with a kick, and a dusty, messy-haired Boomer marched in. "Look who I found." He threw the dragging body forward. Romanov collapsed to the floor, chin hitting the ground and glasses flying off.

Lloyd's eyes darkened. "You brought a witness? Nobody is supposed to know this place exists, Boomer."

"Heard that this guy created the antidote's destruction. If he knows so much, then he can help us," He kneeled down to his level and grabbed a fistful of his hair, a crazed glint in his eyes. "Isn't that right, crackpot?"

"Okay! Okay! I'll do what you want, just don't kill me!" He then began shouting incoherent words in Russian.

"That's enough, Boomer." Beecher said, glaring down at the scientist. "We don't need you tearing someone's scalp off a second time."

Nox blinked. "I'm not even going to ask."

Boomer smirked as he let go of Romanov's gray hair, planting his face to the floor again. Trembling, he picked himself up, fixing his glasses into place with shaking hands.

"How do we cure someone who's been exposed to the infection?" Nox pressed as she grabbed him by the lab coat and forced him to his feet.

Romanov's eyes met Nox's for a brief second, and they widened behind his glasses. "You… Experiment X."

Nox's eyes faded to a blood-red. "I'm no longer one of your fucking experiments. I'm human—just like the rest of you… On the contrary, I'm not sure you could even classify yourself as 'human'."

"_Enough_," Lloyd barked, and he grabbed Romanov by his collar, dragging him away from Nox and Boomer. "Listen here, crackpot. You're going to help us whether you like it or not. Tell us how we can cure our comrade."

Behind his glasses, he eyes Etrius' unconscious figure. "What happened to him?"

"He breathed in that gas inside the white tanks," Nox said with her arms crossed, eyeing Romanov's thick glasses. She whispered to Boomer, "_I bet he can see the future with those glasses._"

Romanov shook his head solemnly. "That gas was a mix of Element Evil and Arsenic. It was created in an attempt to find the cure, but it's a failed experiment. I'm afraid there's nothing I can do for your friend here."

Nox felt an electrical spark in the air when he said this. She narrowed her eyes. "You're lying." She unsheathed her sapphire sword and held it to his neck. "_What aren't you telling us?_"

Romanov's wide eyes travelled between Nox and the blade. "I—" He gulped at the sight of Nox's raging features. "There is a way to cure him." A pause. "KrSAPPHIRE. It's the same chemical we used in crafting that sword."

Nox bit her lip. _That's why my powers have been kept under control with this thing._

Her blade suddenly weighed heavy.

"If I can extract them," Romanov continued, "You're friend might stand a chance."

Nox pressed the blade to his throat, drawing a thin line of blood. "_No one _is taking this sword. Bad things will happen." Not only was it her trusted weapon, but she knew that if her powers went out of control, all hell would break lose. They couldn't afford that.

Romanov thumbed his mustache. "There is another way. But I need a certain chemical, and it's in my lab."

Boomer ran a hand through his hair. "Don't tell me we need to go back to that place again."

"If we're going to cure Etrius," Lloyd turned away. "We have to."

Nox read through his brainwaves, but everything was in order. He was telling the truth. "Alright," She said. "We'll get you the things you need. But for now, you need to work with what we have here."

Romanov fixed his glasses into place and mumbled something about how people never understood the way science worked. "The chemical I need is called Silver Nitrate. It's the only chemical that can help him."

Nox turned to the rest of the team. "Everyone, return to your quarters for a sleep cycle. Tomorrow we'll set the plan and start our attack. Our last motive was too messy and unorganized."

The team exchanged glances before they turned and left the room, but Beecher stayed behind.

"He'll survive the night," Romanov told him after he saw him staring at him with a dark expression. "Just don't blame me if the antidote doesn't work."

Nox reached out to him through mindspeak. _I'll keep an eye on the doc. You get some rest._

This didn't seem to help him much, but he complied nonetheless and left the room without another word.

Nox turned to Romanov and pointed two fingers at her eyes, then at him. "I can read your mind, even from the other side of the planet. And with God as my witness, it took a lot of willpower to block out all the noises around me with this power. If I sense you try anything, I'll give you a fate worse than death."

Nox spoke the words as if they were dripping with acid, and it was enough to make Romanov flinch and step back. He wrung his wrists with his hands as Nox turned for the door. "You won't get away with this," He tried to sound brave, but he couldn't keep the tremor out of his voice. "You, Beecher and the others betrayed us, and the world knows it. You'll never stop us from finding a cure."

Nox actually stopped mid-stride and gave him a sideways glance. "Open your eyes, doctor. The General is the enemy, not us. He had the cure all along, and he let mankind fall. You don't have to believe us, but soon, there's going to be a time when you have to choose between the greater good, and that bastard General. And when that time comes, there's no denying it." She was out the door before Romanov could protest any further.

~X~

A cold frost nipped at the air, and an ever-present fog hung in the forest air, lurking in the darkness of the trees like ghosts. Boomer's breath was shown in their air before it materialized back into nothing. He lurked on the south side of the facility, hands in his hoodie pockets as he leaned against a tree.

He produced a cigarette and lighter, the carroty light illuminating his face and hair that stuck out of his hoodie. Rustling of dead leaves resounded from behind him. He whirled around, cobalt blue eyes scanning the area.

Something shifted in the shadow of the trees.

Boomer noticed a _wolf_ was pawing the dead leaves on the ground, as if searching for something. A smirk formed on his face. _Dinner._ He reached for his shotgun to land a clear shot, but forgot he left it in his quarters. He cursed himself and made a mental note to always bring his weapon when he traveled outside.

But on closer inspection, Boomer noticed it's front paw was trapped in between metal claws linked to a chain that stuck out of the ground.

The wolf bowed it's head, glanced up at Boomer, and then growled upon his presence. Boomer froze in place, holding his two hands shoulder level in a gesture that he meant no harm. The wolf's ears drew back, and he bared his teeth.

Boomer managed to get to his knees and close the distance between them, keeping his hands still. The wolf sniffed his palm, smelling the lingering scent of demolition ashes on them. The wolf flattened it's ears and whined, pawing again at the metal claw that had it's leg trapped.

Boomer stroked his chin in thought. "Hold still," He told it, keeping one leg in place while he reached into his pocket for his switchblade. He tugged it out and flicked it open.

Upon the sight of the blade, the wolf's eyes darkened and growled again.

Boomer's brows creased together. "Calm your ass down, I won't hurt you." He stuck the edge of the blade into the rusted screw that kept the claw in place and unscrewed it. It popped open, freeing the wolf's paw. Blood matted his fur. Boomer's mouth formed into a thin line as he reached into his hoodie pocket and produced a rolled up white bandage. He wrapped the wolf's wound. "You got a name, pal?" He checked the black spiked collar, but there was no tag.

_Looks like a Timber wolf._ He remembered seeing packs of them in Colorado before the resource war took over, and they'd gone extinct. "Timber, it is."

Timber gave Boomer a side-eye look with gray eyes before it back away, his tail swishing. "What are you—?"

Timber scrambled away, nearly tripping on his wounded leg. He glanced back at the form of Boomer before limping into the shadows and bounding out of sight.


	7. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Romanov filled a vile with clear liquid and turned away from the steel table, sauntering to the unconscious form of Etrius. He checked his right vein in his wrist, and then sterilized the needle. It wasn't an inch from Etrius' skin when his eyes flew open.

His hand shot forward and sized Romanov's wrist. With his free hand, he grabbed the collar of Romanov's lab coat, and leveled his eyes with his cracked glasses. A light lit up the whites of Etrius' eyes like a dying candle. "Where am I?" He pressed, his tone darkened in fury and threat.

Romanov stammered, not expecting such a reaction. Nor had he been expecting Etrius to awaken with a sentience of mind. "You—You—You're at your base. Your comrades brought you back here!"

Etrius' face was twisted with anger. "I could see the lie in your eyes. Tell me the truth, or I'll break your neck as easy as those glasses. Who are you?"

Once the recollections began visiting his mind, he remembered that this man was working on the Castle operation, and he was also put in charge of researching anything close to a cure for Element Evil. It also meant that he created the element to destroy it. His hardened features softened as he took in the realization. He was too late—The General had already destroyed the cure.

Summoning a surge of power, he gained enough strength to bring himself to his feet and march out the door. Romanov followed, shouting indistinct words in an attempt to stop him.

~X~

Nox, Lloyd, Beecher and Boomer circled the table, a paper makeshift map of the base spread out in the middle with a knife driven through it.

"Obviously, The General's men are going to be guarding the backside of the base, now that they know that's where he snuck in. Now that they're aware of enemies, they'll be heavily guarding the perimeter. The lab is located near the entrance, but there's no way we're infiltrating through there. Too obvious."

Indistinct shouting resounded from down the hallway, and Nox's senses heightened. He sensed two people arguing over something, one of them slurred and a bit confused.

The door burst open before either of them could react. A livid Etrius stepped in, followed by Romanov.

"I told you, you cannot be running around!"

"I don't give a bloody _fuck_, doctor," He spat at him, and then returned to the team, eyes aglow and filled with ire. "What the hell happened? Where's the cure?"

Nox stared at him with as much shock as the rest of the team. She swallowed down the lump in her throat and stepped up. "Element Evil is still in your blood, Etrius. You need to re—"

His face was twisted with anger as he glared at Nox, the glow in his eyes lightening until his green irises were barely visible. "There's no time to rest. The General destroyed the cure, and he's still out there! God knows what he has planned next."

Beecher stepped forward, gesturing Romanov away before the situation got out of hand. But it looked like hell was already about to break lose between them. "We were too late." Wrath stirred in his eyes. "The General destroyed the cure, and there's nothing else that he can do to jeopardize our kind anymore. But he still has the antidote to cure that shit that's in your blood. Just don't kill yourself before we get to it."

The words seemed to echo within him like an empty vessel. It was evident in his eyes that he was repeating the words in his head, trying to register the information, but his brain continued to block it out. The gap of reality began to close, and there was no denying it.

His eyes suddenly darkened. "That bastard is going to pay for his crimes, mark my words."

"And you need to rest before that happens," Beecher grasped Etrius' shoulders and pushed him back towards the exit. "We're planning the next attack. We need you to stay here and keep an eye on the doc."

Etrius batted his hands away and fixed him with a harsh glare. "You expect me to stay here and do nothing? While that bastard goes on with his shit?" Light began to pour through his mouth, and brighter through his eyes, as if he were lit from within.

"Relax!" Nox warned him. "That power is sensitive! One wrong move and it's over for you."

Despite himself, Etrius listened to Nox's advice. He inhaled sharply, relaxing his shoulders. Slowly, but gradually, the light in his eyes died down until it merely flickered like a candle. "Alright. I'll watch crackpot and warn you if anyone finds the base. People will be looking for him."

Beecher responded with a nod, which Etrius stubbornly took and he headed off.

~X~

The plan was to infiltrate through the underground entrance that was kept hidden under the base. Beecher had been shown around the tunnels, and he was in charge of leading a team out or into the base in case of evacuation. He never imagined he would be using them to infiltrate the base.

He thought he would be able to lead the rebels inside without a problem, but the dark corridors that crisscrossed beneath the enemy base, echoing with rustling, whispered sounds, made him rethink. He didn't like that his mind traveled to Etrius, and the infection, and the fact that mankind had no cure to save them. He didn't want to be reminded of their failure, and that same failure can happen again if they weren't careful.

Moisture dripped from the low ceiling, and the sound of his teammates' echoing footsteps sent a shiver down his spine. Nox stretched her fingers, allowing a sapphire torchlight to escape from her palm, casting skittish shadows along the earthy walls. She lit the way.

An icy current tickled the back of Beecher's neck. Disturbed, he gave the darkness a stare over his shoulder.

"You sure you know where you're going." Lloyd stated, but it sounded like a question.

Beecher scowled. "I know—I've been here multiple times with Etrius, and they weren't exactly pleasant experiences."

"Keep your guards up," Boomer was concealed in shadow, but his eyes were set aflame by the flashlight. "We're here to get Silver Nitrate and return to base. We can't risk finding The General, there's no time."

Beecher cast his gaze to the blackened floor, and then resumed walking.

~X~

After some time, Beecher pointed at the ceiling, and Nox raised her psychic torchlight. Beecher reached up, and his hands brushed a pair of wooden double doors. He undid the lock and opened the door by a crack. Luckily, they landed in the west wing of the base, next to Romanov's lab.

Seeing no one patrolling this section of the building, Beecher pushed against the cellar doors and leaped out, landing on his feet with incredible agility. Lloyd, Nox and Boomer followed, and Beecher kicked the doors shut.

As if on cue, the doors and windows around them slammed shut, casting the room into darkness. Clicking and ratcheting sounds reverberated around them. Once Beecher's eyes adjusted to the dimness, he saw they were surrounded by guards. Again.

"We know your advantages," One of them said with a big mouth. "Whatever you learned while with us, you can use against us. And we're prepared for that. Put your hands over your head and kneel on the floor."

"Look, you need to understand," Lloyd stepped forward, prompting the men to stiffen and train their weapons on him. Red dots were trained on his chest, but he showed no sign of fear. "The General is the traitor—not us. He destroyed the cure, and you don't even know it."

"I said to put your hands over your head." He warned a second time.

"You're working for a corrupt—"

"I won't ask you again—put your hands over your head and kneel on the floor!"

The team exchanged glances, and they knew they were sharing the same thought. They slowly raised their hands and turned around as instructed.

Nox focused on the air around them, trying to summon a shield, or knock the guards unconscious—_anything_. But her powers were rendered useless. The lab wing held the most technology in the air, weakening her powers. She ground her teeth.

"You know that bastard will execute us, right?" Boomer gave the team a side-ways glance, but his tone showed no fear.

"He won't be given the chance."

"Just give me time to think." Nox squeezed her eyes shut.

"You won't have much time until these bastards take us in."

Nox glanced up at the high ceiling, to the smallest crack in the barricaded window. A shaft of light poured through. She felt the smallest voltage of power still left in her, despite the technology that cracked the air. Her eyes glowed.

"Open fire!"

Two gunshots fired in unison.

Nox ducked to miss a shot to her head, and the bullet buried itself in the opposite wall. The other bullet came from the very window she was looking at. The wood was splintered, shattered across the floor. A single silhouette disrupted the influx of light. He held a pistol, his green eyes set aflame with silver light. He extended a hand.

As if on cue, the guard surrounding the team jerked, as if struck with powerful voltage, and they collapsed in unison. Etrius glided to the floor.

Nox marveled at his ability to use his powers, even with technology crackling in the air around them like electricity. "How."

"We told you to stay at the base," Beecher scorned. "You left Romanov to run off!"

"He's unconscious," He said bluntly, walking past the team. "Forget the antidote. I can control these powers, I just need—"

"_Are you crazy?_" Nox shrieked. "You don't know what they're capable of!"

"No, but they're giving us an upper hand in fighting this war," He fired back. "You can't even use your powers around technology. Welcome to the future, Nox. Everything is technology."

Nox bit her lip, fighting back the urge to throw him a myriad of come-backs, but came up empty. "Fine," She breathed. "But you have to promise me something. Those powers can become addictive. If you're not careful, they will start to control _you._ Once this is over, you're getting rid of them."

Etrius caught her gaze, and a silent message passed between them. After a moment's time passed, Etrius blinked and looked away. "There's no more time to argue. Take the team and get out of here. I have a plan."

"What, get yourself into more deep shit?" Beecher spat.

"No, I just can't afford dragging you guys into it. Now follow orders and get out of here. Only I can handle this."

Nox ground her teeth and was about to stop him, but Lloyd placed a hand on her shoulder. "Let it go," He said lowly. "If he has that kind of power, and was able to take those guards out in seconds, then we should leave him. We don't want to get someone with that kind of power angry."

Despite herself, Nox knew he was right. It took much of Nox's willpower to hold herself in check, so she couldn't hurt her loved ones. Until they found a cure for Etrius, they had to be cautious. Rolling her shoulders back, Nox whirled around and marched back the way they came, the team following.

~X~

They made their way back through the tunnels and into the exterior of the base, remaining hidden from security cameras.

"What do you think Etrius is planning?"

An explosion rocked them off their feet. Nox's shoulder slammed into a tree, and she collapsed to the ground. Her hands clutched at dead grass and dry leaves, trying to get her bearings. She cast her attention to where the enemy base once was.

White light was cast in the area like an atomic bomb. Her jaw fell open.

Tree branches and brushwood were blown back by the force of the blast. Nox had to shut her eyes by the blinding ethereal light that outcast the sun. "_Etrius_!" She screamed, but the pressure in the air dissolved her voice.

In minutes, the isolated fires had died down. The base lay in ruins, rubble scattered. Nox nearly gagged as her foot nudged against someone's arm.

"What was that bastard thinking," She heard Beecher's voice behind her, but his tone was far from any form of anger. It sounded solemn.

"It didn't have to end like this." The coldness in Boomer's voice sent shivers up her spine.

A pile of rubble overhead shook.

Nox leaped back in surprise, finding herself beside Lloyd as the two of them unsheathed their swords at the same time.

Beecher readied his sniper, Boomer, his fists.

Etrius emerged from the rubble, shoulders hunched and eyes aglow with ethereal light. He dragged a body with him by the back of his neck. He let the unconscious General drop, and then locked eyes with Nox. "I found the reason why you couldn't mind-trick him." He opened his palm, revealing a shard of obsidian rock. Nox jumped, as if struck with powerful voltage. She backed away, covering a hand over her mouth like there was something poisonous in the air. A thick fog filled her head. "What the hell is that? And why isn't it affecting you?"

"That's what we're going to find out," Etrius nudged his foot against The General's side, but he was out cold. "Get him to the Humvee and back to base. We're going to get answers, one way or another."

Beecher raised his brows at him. "You want to interrogate him," It was more of a statement than a question. "This'll be interesting."

~X~

Timber limped through the seemingly endless woods, every once in a while stopping to examine his injured leg. At every sound, his ears would prick, and his eyes would remain focused like a deer staring at headlights. Once he was sure no one was following him, he continued to make his way through the forest.

It was when he arrived at the double cellar doors rooted into the ground when he collapsed. His injured leg wouldn't support him any longer. He let out a breathy whine through his nostrils, pawing at the double wooden doors.

Footsteps trudged up the staircase and the doors clicked open.

A man dressed in a hoodie that shaded the moonlight from his eyes stepped out, noticing his wolf lying on his side and covered in blood. He fell to his side and examined his injured leg, noting the bandages wrapped around it. Someone had been to him before he arrived here.

The assassin scanned the shadows of the forest, but no one was watching. He ripped his hoodie away from his face, revealing pale skin, silver hair that shined in the moonlight, and gold eyes. He picked up the fallen wolf and carried him into the cellar, his tail dangling.

The assassin laid the wolf near the staircase, shutting the door and blocking any moonlight from reaching in. He hovered his hands over the wolf's body, and a low, white light seemed to seep out of his pours, and curl around his fingers. It reached out to the injured leg, and wrapped itself around the bandage. In a matter of seconds, the wolf uttered a whine and dragged itself to it's feet. The open wounds that ran down the length of his leg had been healed, the marks from the metal claw vanished.

The assassin gave the wolf a scratch behind his ears. "What did you bring back for me, Khan?" He unrolled the bandage binding his healed leg and examined it. It was specked with black dirt, signaling he had been in the northern section of the forest. A smile tugged at the corner of the assassin's mouth. Long had he waited to find these rebels and bring them in. The General had promised him a large ransom for bringing at least one of them in alive. His thought darkened with intention at what he could do with four million dollars a rebel. Must've been some big project they were working on, to be so determined to get these rebels out of the way.

But he didn't know what he was going up against. They could have back-up, and he wouldn't even know it. He heard rumors about them having a… escaped experiment. One with powers beyond their control. If he was going to take them down, he had to learn more about them.

He grabbed a bone with pieces of meat still attached and slung it to the wolf. Khan grabbed it with his jaws mid-air and chewed. "Tomorrow, bring me something that can be useful to us," He spoke as if Khan could hear him, and his ears pricked up as he watched him intently. "And I'll have a full turkey ready for you on a silver platter."

Khan's eyes were set aglow by the dying flame on the surviving lantern.

The assassin crossed his arms, a smirk playing on his lips. "This should be interesting."


	8. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Something dark and soft lingered in the distance like an ever-present fog. In his peripheral vision, blue light seeped into his eyes, working the edges in. A numbing sensation pricked at the back of his mind, and a dying flame flickered like a candle.

Something dark, and monstrous, and _alive_ lumbered in the distance, closing the space between them. It bared it's teeth, engulfing his vision.

The General awoke with a start, disoriented. It took a few minutes for his vision to clear and the room to take shape. His attention adjusted to the security cameras situated to the walls, and the glass wall beside him.

He tried to move, but his wrists and ankles were shackled to the chair

A dull thudding echoed in his brain as he tried to piece together the recollections.

A familiar voice spoke through the speakers above the glass wall. He immediately knew he was inside an interrogation chamber, hence he couldn't see through the glass.

The General narrowed his eyes. "I know that's you, Etrius. Let me out."

A moment of silence passed, and Etrius spoke. "Not until we get answers."

"This is an interrogation sequence," He said, watching his own reflection. "It's not like you. Just turn you and your team in, and we can do this the easy way."

Etrius ignored him entirely. "Silver Nitrate," He said bluntly. "We need a copy of it. Where can we find it?"

The General crossed his arms, his eyes darkening.

Behind the glass, Etrius eyed his team with something undecipherable stirring in his eyes. "I'm going in." He claimed. With The General chained down, and the shard of obsidian out of his reach, the possibility that something could go wrong was next to nothing.

"I'm going with you," Nox claimed, and Etrius gave her an approving nod. With the obsidian shard far out of his reach, she could infiltrate his mind and check for answers. If he didn't fight back.

He took in a deep breath, and then stepped through the door, Nox behind him.

The General glared bluntly at Etrius and Nox as they stepped through the door. Etrius armed himself with a handgun.

Uncharacteristically, The General chuckled. "Do you really think _that _can stop what's to come? I've got a team of elite soldiers who are looking for me, even as we speak. Your team doesn't stand a chance."

"First question," Etrius ignored him once more. "Where did you get this," He slid him a photograph of the obsidian shard. "You did this in purpose. Why does Nox feel the effects, and I can't?"

"It was merely part of an experiment," The General strained against the chains holding him down. "Nothing more. I don't know why it's affecting you."

An electrical vibe rang in the air. Nox untangled the strings that pulled at the air, and a metallic taste entered her mouth. _He's lying._ She declared to the team through mind-speak.

"Where can we find a copy of Silver Nitrate? It was moved from Romanov's lab."

"Do you really expect me to keep track of everything? I don't know."

Heat passed through Nox's being, and a layer of Goosebumps coated her skin. She narrowed her eyes, and spoke to the team through mind-speak. _How long does he think he can keep this up?_

Etrius slammed his fist against the table. "We're not putting ourselves through this bullshit, General. Tell us the truth, or I'll have my friend here infiltrate your brain and tear you apart from the inside afterwards."

To prove his point, Nox's eyes were set aflame with sapphire light. She reached out with her psychic power, grabbing the thoughts firing to and from his brain. She began to untangle them, preparing to yank the strings.

The General shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut and trying to fight her off, but she held him in place mentally. He strained against the chains.

Nox assumed that was enough of a warning, and released him. The General's shoulders relaxed.

"That was your warning," Nox snarled. "And believe me, I'm capable of much more. Tell us the truth, and I'll give you a quick death. Where's the notebook?"

The General's breathing was heavy, his head bowed, and eyes shadowed by his beret. "You won't get away with this. You and your team will pay the price for—"

"You are the enemy—_You_!" His face was twisted with anger. "You turned the blame around on us, made it look like we were the enemies. But soon, everyone will know who and what you truly are. Once they find out it was you who destroyed the cure…"

The General's mouth twitched. Nox noticed this and catapulted into his mind without warning. She grabbed hold of his thought before it could vanish into the back of his mind, and out of reach. "That wasn't the real cure," She said aloud, almost in aghast. "You relocated the real one."

Just as soon as she announced it, The General buried the thought within his mind, out of reach. It would take much of Nox's mental energy to get it back.

Etrius blinked in surprise, and then his eyes darkened like a storm. "Where is it? Tell us, and maybe we'll be kind enough to let you live a while longer."

"You'll never find it," The General said in a tone that was trapped between conquest and victory. "To go there would be suicide."

Etrius grabbed him by the collar of his uniform and swung a fist into his face. He shut his eyes, and blinked the redness in his vision away. "_Where is it?_" He pressed. "And where's the journal? We know you have it."

"Heh. I burned that notebook. Did you really think I was going to risk keeping it?"

A wave of coolness rippled through Nox's being. _He's telling the truth with that one_, She declared, and then clenched her fists. He was just telling them that to show how much power he had over them. But not this time. They were getting answers.

"Where is the real cure?" Nox demanded, her eyes setting aflame with sapphire light in warning. "Speak up, or I'll drag you into another round."

~X~

Beecher made his way through the halls, checking Boomer's dorm, but he wasn't there. He narrowed his gaze. Lloyd was watching Romanov in the science wing, so Boomer must've been patrolling outside.

He trekked up the staircase and sauntered through the main hall, snatching a hand-gun from the table. They could never walk outside without firearms, not with troops looking for them. But Nox was camouflaging the base with her psychic power—they would never be able to find them… Unless The General had a tracker. He knew that government workers had trackers embed into their bones to track them should they ever get captured. Etrius removed his from behind his left ear when he first found the base. Still, with the base hidden from sight, they would be drawn to believe they had removed it, and dropped it somewhere in the forest.

He clicked the safety off his firearm and pushed past the door, into the early morning light. The base vanished behind him.

The air was crisp with the scent of burning russet forestry. Pyres of smoke rose in the distance. Beecher pressed the contact button through his headset. "Beecher to Boomer. Where are you?"

Static. Then, "_Backside of the base. Come see this._" Beecher jogged to the southern wing of the base and found Boomer leaning against a tree, a wolf at his side. Beecher readied his hand-gun. "Where the hell did that come from?"

"Found him," Boomer said nonchalantly. "Released him from a bear trap, called him Timber." He scratched him behind the ears, and then checked his injured leg. "He's healing fast." He marveled.

Beecher ran a hand down his face. "Boomer, we have a planet to save, The General to interrogate, a cure to find, and zombies to fight. Now isn't the time for a pet wolf. You don't know where it's been."

The wolf licked Boomer's palm, but stiffened and snarled when Beecher tried to step closer. He reeled back. "Well, this looks like the start of a beautiful friendship." He spat. He glanced at Boomer, anywhere other than the wolf. "Did you check the perimeter?"

"Nothing so far. Looks like The General isn't as sure as he thinks. It's been hours, and no one came near this area."

In the tree branches, the assassin's silhouette crouched down. He attached a silencer to his sniper. He aimed, training the crosshair at Boomer's head.

Beecher's keen eyes picked up something in the shadows, a piece of metal reflecting against the slanting morning sun. Without thinking, he grabbed Boomer by his shoulder, bringing the two of them to the floor.

The bullet whizzed by, burying itself into the tree and shattering fragments of wood.

Boomer glared with widen eyes at the attacker as he leaped down from the tree. Boomer produced his shotgun and clicked off the safety.

The assassin unsheathed his sword.

Boomer aimed for a headshot and fired, but the assassin twisted his blade through the air with a flick of his wrist, deflecting the bullets with impossible speed. Beecher knew instantly this man wasn't a normal troop sent by The General's organization.

"_Who the hell are you_?" He pressed, readying his sniper.

The assassin spoke, only his mouth visible beneath the shadows of his hood. "That is none of your concern."

"You're trying to kill us, aren't you?" Boomer fired three rounds, aimed at his shoulder to keep him alive long enough for answers. The assassin deflected the bullets as easily as he did with the first.

Timber backed away, his eyes darkening. He tromped back to his master and sat stalwartly on his haunches, tilting his head at Boomer.

"Should've seen it coming," Boomer mumbled. "He works for The General. They've found the base."

~X~

The General paced the length of the interrogation chamber, with Nox and Etrius on the opposite end of the glass. Nox tested her power, sapphire light swirling in a matrix of patterns around her hand. "His willpower's strong. I'll give him that."

"He knows where the real cure is. We're getting that information out of him, one way or another." The anger in his eyes burned with disclosure.

Etrius' headset gave off a crackle of white noise, and Beecher's voice came through. "_Etrius, Nox, barricade the doors! We've got company._"

Etrius responded, "What's going on over there?"

"_One of that bastard's soldiers. He has powers like Nox,_" Incoherent screaming and gunshots. "_Don't let anyone in or out!_"

Etrius lowered the volume on his headset and spoke into the microphone so The General could hear. "How many human experiments are there?"

The General seemed to read his mind. "I warned you someone would find your base. Won't be long now."

"I'm not playing your game, General, just answer our damn questions."

The General stopped pacing the room. His eyes watched the opaque glass with someone undecipherable stirring within them. He closed the distance between him and the window, stopping right where Etrius was standing.

Etrius had to take in a deep breath and remind himself that The General couldn't see him through the glass. That it was just chance that he was standing right in front of him.

As if the glass were clear, The General glared into his eyes with as much hatred as he could muster. He wasn't even sure if he glaring directly at Etrius, but he was.

"While I'm still here, might as well tell you the dark truth," His voice dripped malice, "About yourself."

Etrius backed away and searched for a mute button, but there was none. "You know nothing of me, bastard," He spat. "The only _evil _one here is _you_."

The General's eyes darkened beneath the shadow of his beret. "Human beings are a plague on this Earth. They brought this war upon themselves. They're digging their own graves, and they don't even know it. The only _cure_ is to let them fall."

Etrius punched the glass. Instantly, he regretted it, letting The General know he really was standing before him.

"There are a million choices you can make. And if you're lucky, you're the one who gets chosen. And when that happens, there's no denying it. You've made your choice, Etrius. You and your team are running around, trying to fix a broken reality you can't repair. You're just as corrupt as the other vermin in this world. And deep down, you know it."

"Shut up," He growled. "_Shut up_, shut up!"

"You're working for the human race, a kind that can't even tell the difference between innocence and violence. If you save them, there won't be an end to the violence. You have all the characteristics of a human being—skin, blood… But the only emotion you're capable of feeling is greed."

Etrius lost it. He seized the mic and turned it to full volume. "_No_! That's a lie! You're the enemy—_you_! It's because of _you_ that everything's fallen to shit!" His eyes sparked with an ethereal while glow. The glass fractured beneath the pressure of his power.

"Etrius—" Nox seized mic out of his grip and muted it. "Don't let him provoke you. Pull yourself together."

Etrius' mouth formed into a thin line, but his breathing was still heavy with anger. He pointed at The General on the opposite side of the glass. "He's just giving us horseshit. That isn't true!"

"_I believe you_," Nox reassured, but this didn't lessen his patience. "I know where the second base is."

Etrius shifted his full attention to her.

"That monologue? It distracted him so I could read his mind. He hid the cure in the Castle dimension, where the other research labs were established. We need to get there before The General's troops do."

A powerful vibrations hook the room. The windows rattled, and for a second, Nox believed they were going to burst. Dust and concrete fell from the ceiling, and The General gave a smirk. "There's my exit ticket."

"Go help Beecher," Etrius ordered, but Nox didn't budge.

"I'm not leaving you alone with him. He tempted you once, and you nearly fell for it."

"I can handle it," Etrius frowned. "_We're_ asking the questions here. _We're_ the ones with power, not the other way around. Go and help the others. I'll watch him."

Nox crossed her arms. "I'm not moving."

"Look, if our enemy is as powerful as Beecher says, we can't face him alone. I'm only beginning to understand these powers. You go and help them," He pointed up the staircase. "That's an order."

Nox ground her teeth, but otherwise stifled her anger. "Fine. If I see your arguing with him one more time, I'll separate you two." And she ran outside.

~X~

Nox trekked up the stairs and ran towards the back exit. She slid to a stop in the doorway when a body was thrown against the ground before her. Beecher groaned at the ache in his stomach and scanned the area for his sniper.

Their eyes settled on the hooded assassin, his feet hovering above ground. Light swirled in a matrix of patterns around him, curling around his body like coils. His eyes were set aflame beneath the shadow of his hood.

In the forest, Khan, the timber wolf watched the scene with soulless eyes.

The assassin extended an arm, aiming at Boomer and a charge of power sparked to life in his hand. Nox screamed and lashed out with her right arm. A slice of sapphire light pierced through the air, striking the assassin off his feet. He hit the floor hard on his back, his hood flying off.

He forced himself to his feet and glared at Nox with golden eyes. His hair shimmered with an ever-shifting silver, like moonlight. He aimed at the team, his hand curling into a fist. Nox formed a translucent shield between them. "Go!" She ordered them. "Get inside, get weapons! I'll take care of this guy." The low growl in her voice gave them the motivation to leave. They vanished behind the curtain-like wall that hid the base.

Nox charged, unsheathing her sapphire sword. The assassin produced his own silver blade that shined in the moonlight. He danced out of the way and sliced his blade, blocking hers.

"My name is Ivan Joseph," He said, his voice nonchalant and husky. "And The General's life is mine to take."


	9. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"What the fuck," Nox breathed, her heart hammering and pulsating power with each beat. "You're not fooling us. We know you were sent by The General's men."

"If only you knew," He growled, almost predatory as he slid his sword free and hacked at her with it. Nox danced out of the way and swung at his legs. Ivan leaped into the air, blocking out the sun and slicing down with a swift arc of his sword. Nox blocked the attack, the impact sending vibrations up her arms. She clenched her teeth to battle the pain. _Damn, he's strong._

Ivan smiled, revealing sharp white teeth. He looked more wolf than man, from his careful eyes, pale skin, agile movements and body sculpture. "I've heard of you rebels. Word has it that you're trying to take away mankind's only hope of survival."

"Just what we need," Nox whirled in a circle and sliced her sapphire blade, but he nonchalantly blocked each attack with an agile swing. "More enemies. Open your eyes to the truth for once!" She ducked just in time to miss a chop at her neck.

"I care nothing for mankind's cure," He said, his eyes sincere and distant, but his movements remained rapid and instinctive. "Just hand over your prisoner and both ends of our deal will be fulfilled."

Nox glared at him, thoughts spinning in her head like a whirlwind. He was just trying to manipulate them. Right?

"_Who the hell are you?"_

~X~

Etrius glanced up at the ceiling, as if he could see through it. _What the hell is going on outside?_ He asked Nox through mindspeak, but got no response. Grimacing, he spoke into the microphone. "Mind telling me who's looking for you?"

"Only the top elites who could've done a much better job than you did."

The corner of Etrius' mouth twitched, but he reminded himself he had to keep himself under control. "I'm assuming that these 'top elites' are more human experiments of yours?"

Despite himself, The General gave a low, menacing chuckle. "I can't believe you were ever so naïve. Do you have any idea of the risks I could take if I had experiments in combat?"

"You attempted to do it with Nox. Why? What do you get out of it?"

"Ever heard of 'change-of-plans'? I didn't think so. Nox and the others are merely pawns in this army. You won't be prepared for what is to come."

Etrius ground his teeth. He was trying to lead him away from the topic.

He slammed a fist on the table. "_Who is looking for you_?"

"I've told you before, or are you deaf. A team of troops are sent out to handle situations like this."

A low buzz filled Etrius' ears; Beecher was trying to contact him. He pressed the answer button on his headset. "Beecher to Etrius. Boomer and I are getting more advanced weapons. Someone's found the base, and he's not normal."

Etrius' eyes darted from The General to the staircase. He knew that a rescue team was always sent out to retrieve captured soldiers, but this was something bigger. He had no idea what was going on. And clearly, The General didn't either.

~X~

Ivan slashed his sword at Nox's midsection, but she sprang from it's swath. His golden eyes darkened, and he mentally gripped control of her mind. Nox shoved him away, but his grip didn't slacken. He fired mental commands. _Drop your sword. Drop your sword and freeze!_

Nox felt her grip go slack. Her blade fell to the grass with a loud _crunch_. She clenched her teeth.

Ivan flipped his sword in his hands and gripped her shoulder. He aimed the tip of the blade at her heart. "I gave you rebels a chance. And yet you still remain stubborn. I'm taking that bastard from you whether you like it or not."

"_Hold it_," A familiar voice boomed form behind her. Lloyd's tall shadow loomed from behind Nox as he charged from the shadows. He sliced with his upgraded sword, moving at impossible speeds for a human. Nox knew his suit and armor granted him the ability to move and fight faster than normal.

Ivan cleared Lloyd's sword, and the tip of the blade nipped at the flesh in his hip. Blood spurted from the wound, blooming across his armor. Strangely enough, the crimson liquid radiated an unearthly silver glow that shimmered in the dark.

With a guttural growl, Ivan flew at him, using his sword like a machete to hack at him. The distraction was enough for Nox to break away out of her mental paralysis. She swiped her sword form the ground and ran to the two battling in a blur of rapid strokes. She waited for the right moment to strike, when Ivan would be trapped between her, Lloyd and a tree, where one of them could finish him off.

"_Who are you_?" Lloyd snarled. "Speak up, basket-case, and I'll be sure to give you a quick death."

Ivan smiled, revealing sharp, wolf-like teeth. "My name is Ivan Joseph. And soon, I will become a force that nothing can stop. I will not rest until I have my revenge."

"If you're here to try and stop us from fighting The General's organization, you have to get in line." Lloyd quipped darkly.

"Fools," Ivan growled. "_Your prisoner_. I seek vengeance for what he's done. Hand him over."

Lloyd aimed the tip of his sword at him. "Explain yourself. What the hell are you doing here?"

"You're not the only one who wants answers. That bastard has done more evil than you thought."

Lloyd watched him with dark eyes.

"I've been watching The General for weeks, doing work for him and gaining his trust. I was going to backstab him when he wasn't looking, but I needed a plan. I know you want to destroy the cure, but let me spare you the work of killing him."

"You've got to be kidding me." Lloyd glared at him up and down. "Nox, probe him."

Before the assassin could react, Nox extended an arm and her eyes glowed sapphire. She fled down the corridors of Ivan's mind, scanning through his memories. By the time she went back out, she gave Lloyd a hesitant nod.

"I still don't believe him," Lloyd kept the space between the assassin and freedom closed. "How can we trust him?"

"We can't. But we're wasting time with this bullshit."

"We can't kill him – It's only going to tip our reputation into our superiors' favor."

Ivan's gaze travelled between the two, and he spoke. "I know of a way to the alternate realm."

Nox's blood turned to ice. "_What?_"

"While I was working for the bastard, I had knowledge of another dimension and the 'castles' your research team found. I know they have a second base there, and I know that's where they're hiding the real cure."

It took Nox a moment before she hesitantly lowered her sword. "Fine. Take us there, and maybe I'll show you mercy."

Ivan's mouth formed into a thin line, almost like a smile. He spread his arms in a welcoming gesture. "Glad to be of assistance."

"Remember this, _Ivan_," She said his name like he would flinch when he remembered it was fake. "You're our prisoner, not our advisor. Hurt any of our teammates and I'll see your head rolling."

~X~

The team gathered in the Main Hall, drawing out their plan. Ivan stood in the doorway, leaning nonchalantly against the doorframe. Nox didn't know what happened to his wolf, but that was the least of her worries right now.

"Someone needs to watch Romanov and the bastard," Beecher said in a hushed tone. "We can't just leave them here unguarded. God knows what could happen."

"I'll stay," Etrius spoke up. "I'm still just beginning to understand these powers. I'm not going to fuck up the mission for you guys just because I can't control—"

"No can do," Nox said bluntly. "We can't trust you with The General alone. He tempted you once, and you nearly fell for it."

"We're _so_ close to KrSAPPHIRE," Etrius planted the palms of his hands on the table. "I'm not going to fuck it up for us again. I'm staying, and that's final."

Nox narrowed her eyes.

"In any other mission," Beecher said. "You'd be whining your ass off to come with us."

"Alright, alright," Etrius said. "Lloyd and I will watch the prisoners. Deal?"

"We need as many allies when we go into that realm. Boomer will be busy with the explosives, so that leaves Beecher and me. We can't handle Ivan alone."

Nox ran through the possibilities in her mind, but the gap between reality and denial began to close. She pursed her lips. "Can I trust you alone with them? Whatever you do, don't speak with The General unless we need information."

Etrius crossed his arms and gave her a nod.

"Very well, then," Ivan entered the room with his hands clasped behind his back. "Shall we begin?"

After the team's approval, Ivan got to work.

He shut the door, closed his eyes, and concentrated on it.

Beecher scoffed. "He's just wasting our time."

"Wait," Nox said.

Ivan's eyes fluttered open, a golden light emitting from within. The gaps around the doorframe glowed an unearthly gold, cutting through the dull grayness in the air like a knife. The scent of burning candles rose in the room like a fog.

Ivan reached out and grasped the doorknob, swinging the door open. A bleak, gray universe lay beyond, void of life and light. Even the shadows seemed to run away from everything.

Etrius' heart plummeted at the sight of the universe. He remembered his first time being assigned on a mission there… That bastard had him chained and brought back like a runaway dog.

Ivan stepped through the door, as if passing through a wall of invisible light. The second he was on the opposite end, all colors seemed to drain from him. He gestured to the sight of the base, flickering with lights overhead. It was nestled near the edge of a cliff. "Shall we?"


End file.
